Mass Readings for Monday, August 06, 2012

"The Transfiguration of the Lord" -- by James Tissot

Feastof the Transfiguration of the Lord

FIRST READING: Daniel 7: 9 - 10, 13 - 14

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9 As I watched, Thrones were set up and the Ancient One took his throne. His clothing was snow bright, and the hair on his head as white as wool; His throne was flames of fire, with wheels of burning fire.

10 A surging stream of fire flowed out from where he sat; Thousands upon thousands were ministering to him, and myriads upon myriads attended him. The court was convened, and the books were opened.

13 As the visions during the night continued, I saw One like a son of man coming, on the clouds of heaven; When he reached the Ancient One and was presented before him,

14 He received dominion, glory, and kingship; nations and peoples of every language serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not be taken away, his kingship shall not be destroyed.

PSALM: Psalms 97: 1 - 2, 5 - 6, 9

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1 The LORD reigns; let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad!

2 Clouds and thick darkness are round about him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.

5 The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth.

6 The heavens proclaim his righteousness; and all the peoples behold his glory.

9 For thou, O LORD, art most high over all the earth; thou art exalted far above all gods.

SECOND READING: 2 Peter 1: 16 - 19

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16 For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

17 For when he received honor and glory from God the Father and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,"

18 we heard this voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain.

19 And we have the prophetic word made more sure. You will do well to pay attention to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

GOSPEL: Mark 9: 2 - 10

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2 And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves; and he was transfigured before them,

3 and his garments became glistening, intensely white, as no fuller on earth could bleach them.

4 And there appeared to them Eli'jah with Moses; and they were talking to Jesus.

5 And Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is well that we are here; let us make three booths, one for you and one for Moses and one for Eli'jah."

6 For he did not know what to say, for they were exceedingly afraid.

7 And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, "This is my beloved Son; listen to him."

8 And suddenly looking around they no longer saw any one with them but Jesus only.

9 And as they were coming down the mountain, he charged them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of man should have risen from the dead.

10 So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what the rising from the dead meant.

Sunday Mass Readings For August 05, 2012

FIRST READING: Exodus 16: 2 - 4, 12 - 15

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2 And the whole congregation of the people of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness,

3 and said to them, "Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate bread to the full; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger."

4 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law or not.

12 "I have heard the murmurings of the people of Israel; say to them, `At twilight you shall eat flesh, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread; then you shall know that I am the LORD your God.'"

13 In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning dew lay round about the camp.

14 And when the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as hoarfrost on the ground.

15 When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, "What is it?" For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, "It is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat.

PSALM: Psalms 78: 3 - 4, 23 - 25, 54

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3 things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us.

4 We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders which he has wrought.

23 Yet he commanded the skies above, and opened the doors of heaven;

24 and he rained down upon them manna to eat, and gave them the grain of heaven.

25 Man ate of the bread of the angels; he sent them food in abundance.

54 And he brought them to his holy land, to the mountain which his right hand had won.

SECOND READING: Ephesians 4: 17, 20 - 24

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17 Now this I affirm and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds;

20 You did not so learn Christ! --

21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus.

22 Put off your old nature which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful lusts,

23 and be renewed in the spirit of your minds,

24 and put on the new nature, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

GOSPEL: John 6: 24 - 35

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24 So when the people saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Caper'na-um, seeking Jesus.

25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, "Rabbi, when did you come here?"

26 Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.

27 Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of man will give to you; for on him has God the Father set his seal."

28 Then they said to him, "What must we do, to be doing the works of God?"

29 Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent."

30 So they said to him, "Then what sign do you do, that we may see, and believe you? What work do you perform?

31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, `He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'"

32 Jesus then said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.

33 For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven, and gives life to the world."

34 They said to him, "Lord, give us this bread always."

35 Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst.

Mass Readings for Saturday, August 04, 2012

"The Daughter of Herodias Dancing" -- by James Tissot

Memorial of Saint John Mary Vianney, Priest

FIRST READING: Jeremiah 26: 11 - 16, 24

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11 Then the priests and the prophets said to the princes and to all the people, "This man deserves the sentence of death, because he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your own ears."

12 Then Jeremiah spoke to all the princes and all the people, saying, "The LORD sent me to prophesy against this house and this city all the words you have heard.

13 Now therefore amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the LORD your God, and the LORD will repent of the evil which he has pronounced against you.

14 But as for me, behold, I am in your hands. Do with me as seems good and right to you.

15 Only know for certain that if you put me to death, you will bring innocent blood upon yourselves and upon this city and its inhabitants, for in truth the LORD sent me to you to speak all these words in your ears."

16 Then the princes and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, "This man does not deserve the sentence of death, for he has spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God."

24 But the hand of Ahi'kam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah so that he was not given over to the people to be put to death.

PSALM: Psalms 69: 15 - 16, 30 - 31, 33 - 34

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15 Let not the flood sweep over me, or the deep swallow me up, or the pit close its mouth over me.

16 Answer me, O LORD, for thy steadfast love is good; according to thy abundant mercy, turn to me.

30 I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving.

31 This will please the LORD more than an ox or a bull with horns and hoofs.

33 For the LORD hears the needy, and does not despise his own that are in bonds.

34 Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas and everything that moves therein.

GOSPEL: Matthew 14: 1 - 12

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1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard about the fame of Jesus;

2 and he said to his servants, "This is John the Baptist, he has been raised from the dead; that is why these powers are at work in him."

3 For Herod had seized John and bound him and put him in prison, for the sake of Hero'di-as, his brother Philip's wife;

4 because John said to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her."

5 And though he wanted to put him to death, he feared the people, because they held him to be a prophet.

6 But when Herod's birthday came, the daughter of Hero'di-as danced before the company, and pleased Herod,

7 so that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask.

8 Prompted by her mother, she said, "Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter."

9 And the king was sorry; but because of his oaths and his guests he commanded it to be given;

10 he sent and had John beheaded in the prison,

11 and his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother.

12 And his disciples came and took the body and buried it; and they went and told Jesus.

Mass Readings for Friday, August 03, 2012

FIRST READING: Jeremiah 26: 1 - 9

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1 In the beginning of the reign of Jehoi'akim the son of Josi'ah, king of Judah, this word came from the LORD,

2 "Thus says the LORD: Stand in the court of the LORD's house, and speak to all the cities of Judah which come to worship in the house of the LORD all the words that I command you to speak to them; do not hold back a word.

3 It may be they will listen, and every one turn from his evil way, that I may repent of the evil which I intend to do to them because of their evil doings.

4 You shall say to them, `Thus says the LORD: If you will not listen to me, to walk in my law which I have set before you,

5 and to heed the words of my servants the prophets whom I send to you urgently, though you have not heeded,

6 then I will make this house like Shiloh, and I will make this city a curse for all the nations of the earth.'"

7 The priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the LORD.

8 And when Jeremiah had finished speaking all that the LORD had commanded him to speak to all the people, then the priests and the prophets and all the people laid hold of him, saying, "You shall die!

9 Why have you prophesied in the name of the LORD, saying, `This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate, without inhabitant'?" And all the people gathered about Jeremiah in the house of the LORD.

PSALM: Psalms 69: 5, 8 - 10, 14

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5 O God, thou knowest my folly; the wrongs I have done are not hidden from thee.

8 I have become a stranger to my brethren, an alien to my mother's sons.

9 For zeal for thy house has consumed me, and the insults of those who insult thee have fallen on me.

10 When I humbled my soul with fasting, it became my reproach.

14 rescue me from sinking in the mire; let me be delivered from my enemies and from the deep waters.

GOSPEL: Matthew 13: 54 - 58

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54 and coming to his own country he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, "Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works?

55 Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?

56 And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all this?"

57 And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house."

58 And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.

Mass Readings for Thursday, August 02, 2012

Optional Memorial of Saint Peter Julian Eymard, Priest

FIRST READING: Jeremiah 18: 1 - 6

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1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD:

2 "Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will let you hear my words."

3 So I went down to the potter's house, and there he was working at his wheel.

4 And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter's hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do.

5 Then the word of the LORD came to me:

6 "O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done? says the LORD. Behold, like the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.

PSALM: Psalms 146: 1 - 6

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1 Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD, O my soul!

2 I will praise the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have being.

3 Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no help.

4 When his breath departs he returns to his earth; on that very day his plans perish.

5 Happy is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God,

6 who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps faith for ever.

GOSPEL: Matthew 13: 47 - 53

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47 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net which was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind;

48 when it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into vessels but threw away the bad.

49 So it will be at the close of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous,

50 and throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.

51 "Have you understood all this?" They said to him, "Yes."

52 And he said to them, "Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old."

53 And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there.

Mass Readings for Wednesday, August 01, 2012

"The Hidden Treasure" -- by James Tissot

Memorial of Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

FIRST READING: Jeremiah 15: 10, 16 - 21

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10 Woe is me, my mother, that you bore me, a man of strife and contention to the whole land! I have not lent, nor have I borrowed, yet all of them curse me.

16 Thy words were found, and I ate them, and thy words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart; for I am called by thy name, O LORD, God of hosts.

17 I did not sit in the company of merrymakers, nor did I rejoice; I sat alone, because thy hand was upon me, for thou hadst filled me with indignation.

18 Why is my pain unceasing, my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? Wilt thou be to me like a deceitful brook, like waters that fail?

19 Therefore thus says the LORD: "If you return, I will restore you, and you shall stand before me. If you utter what is precious, and not what is worthless, you shall be as my mouth. They shall turn to you, but you shall not turn to them.

20 And I will make you to this people a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you, but they shall not prevail over you, for I am with you to save you and deliver you, says the LORD.

21 I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked, and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless."

PSALM: Psalms 59: 2 - 4, 10 - 11, 17 - 18

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2 deliver me from those who work evil, and save me from bloodthirsty men.

3 For, lo, they lie in wait for my life; fierce men band themselves against me. For no transgression or sin of mine, O LORD,

4 for no fault of mine, they run and make ready. Rouse thyself, come to my help, and see!

10 My God in his steadfast love will meet me; my God will let me look in triumph on my enemies.

11 Slay them not, lest my people forget; make them totter by thy power, and bring them down, O Lord, our shield!

17 O my Strength, I will sing praises to thee, for thou, O God, art my fortress, the God who shows me steadfast love.

GOSPEL: Matthew 13: 44 - 46

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44 "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

45 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls,

46 who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

Mass Readings for Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Priest

FIRST READING: Jeremiah 14: 17 - 22

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17 "You shall say to them this word: `Let my eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease, for the virgin daughter of my people is smitten with a great wound, with a very grievous blow.

18 If I go out into the field, behold, those slain by the sword! And if I enter the city, behold, the diseases of famine! For both prophet and priest ply their trade through the land, and have no knowledge.'"

19 Hast thou utterly rejected Judah? Does thy soul loathe Zion? Why hast thou smitten us so that there is no healing for us? We looked for peace, but no good came; for a time of healing, but behold, terror.

20 We acknowledge our wickedness, O LORD, and the iniquity of our fathers, for we have sinned against thee.

21 Do not spurn us, for thy name's sake; do not dishonor thy glorious throne; remember and do not break thy covenant with us.

22 Are there any among the false gods of the nations that can bring rain? Or can the heavens give showers? Art thou not he, O LORD our God? We set our hope on thee, for thou doest all these things.

PSALM: Psalms 79: 8 - 9, 11, 13

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8 Do not remember against us the iniquities of our forefathers; let thy compassion come speedily to meet us, for we are brought very low.

9 Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name; deliver us, and forgive our sins, for thy name's sake!

11 Let the groans of the prisoners come before thee; according to thy great power preserve those doomed to die!

13 Then we thy people, the flock of thy pasture, will give thanks to thee for ever; from generation to generation we will recount thy praise.

GOSPEL: Matthew 13: 36 - 43

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36 Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field."

37 He answered, "He who sows the good seed is the Son of man;

38 the field is the world, and the good seed means the sons of the kingdom; the weeds are the sons of the evil one,

39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the close of the age, and the reapers are angels.

40 Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the close of the age.

41 The Son of man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers,

42 and throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.

43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.

Mass Readings for Monday, July 30, 2012

Mustard Seed

FIRST READING: Jeremiah 13: 1 - 11

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1 Thus said the LORD to me, "Go and buy a linen waistcloth, and put it on your loins, and do not dip it in water."

2 So I bought a waistcloth according to the word of the LORD, and put it on my loins.

3 And the word of the LORD came to me a second time,

4 "Take the waistcloth which you have bought, which is upon your loins, and arise, go to the Euphra'tes, and hide it there in a cleft of the rock."

5 So I went, and hid it by the Euphra'tes, as the LORD commanded me.

6 And after many days the LORD said to me, "Arise, go to the Euphra'tes, and take from there the waistcloth which I commanded you to hide there."

7 Then I went to the Euphra'tes, and dug, and I took the waistcloth from the place where I had hidden it. And behold, the waistcloth was spoiled; it was good for nothing.

8 Then the word of the LORD came to me:

9 "Thus says the LORD: Even so will I spoil the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem.

10 This evil people, who refuse to hear my words, who stubbornly follow their own heart and have gone after other gods to serve them and worship them, shall be like this waistcloth, which is good for nothing.

11 For as the waistcloth clings to the loins of a man, so I made the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah cling to me, says the LORD, that they might be for me a people, a name, a praise, and a glory, but they would not listen.

PSALM: Deuteronomy 32: 18 - 21

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18 You were unmindful of the Rock that begot you, and you forgot the God who gave you birth.

19 "The LORD saw it, and spurned them, because of the provocation of his sons and his daughters.

20 And he said, `I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end will be, for they are a perverse generation, children in whom is no faithfulness.

21 They have stirred me to jealousy with what is no god; they have provoked me with their idols. So I will stir them to jealousy with those who are no people; I will provoke them with a foolish nation.

GOSPEL: Matthew 13: 31 - 35

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31 Another parable he put before them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field;

32 it is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches."

33 He told them another parable. "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened."

34 All this Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed he said nothing to them without a parable.

35 This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet: "I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world."

Sunday Mass Readings For July 29, 2012

"The People Seek Jesus to Make Him King" -- by James Tissot

FIRST READING: 2 Kings 4: 42 - 44

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42 A man came from Ba'al-shal'ishah, bringing the man of God bread of the first fruits, twenty loaves of barley, and fresh ears of grain in his sack. And Eli'sha said, "Give to the men, that they may eat."

43 But his servant said, "How am I to set this before a hundred men?" So he repeated, "Give them to the men, that they may eat, for thus says the LORD, `They shall eat and have some left.'"

44 So he set it before them. And they ate, and had some left, according to the word of the LORD.

PSALM: Psalms 145: 10 - 11, 15 - 18

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10 All thy works shall give thanks to thee, O LORD, and all thy saints shall bless thee!

11 They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and tell of thy power,

15 The eyes of all look to thee, and thou givest them their food in due season.

16 Thou openest thy hand, thou satisfiest the desire of every living thing.

17 The LORD is just in all his ways, and kind in all his doings.

18 The LORD is near to all who call upon him, to all who call upon him in truth.

SECOND READING: Ephesians 4: 1 - 6

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1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called,

2 with all lowliness and meekness, with patience, forbearing one another in love,

3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call,

5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism,

6 one God and Father of us all, who is above all and through all and in all.

GOSPEL: John 6: 1 - 15

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1 After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiber'i-as.

2 And a multitude followed him, because they saw the signs which he did on those who were diseased.

3 Jesus went up on the mountain, and there sat down with his disciples.

4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand.

5 Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a multitude was coming to him, Jesus said to Philip, "How are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?"

6 This he said to test him, for he himself knew what he would do.

7 Philip answered him, "Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little."

8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him,

9 "There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what are they among so many?"

10 Jesus said, "Make the people sit down." Now there was much grass in the place; so the men sat down, in number about five thousand.

11 Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted.

12 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, "Gather up the fragments left over, that nothing may be lost."

13 So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten.

14 When the people saw the sign which he had done, they said, "This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world!"

15 Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

Mass Readings for Saturday, July 28, 2012

"The Enemy Who Sows" -- by James Tissot

FIRST READING: Jeremiah 7: 1 - 11

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1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD:

2 "Stand in the gate of the LORD's house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the LORD, all you men of Judah who enter these gates to worship the LORD.

3 Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings, and I will let you dwell in this place.

4 Do not trust in these deceptive words: `This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD.'

5 "For if you truly amend your ways and your doings, if you truly execute justice one with another,

6 if you do not oppress the alien, the fatherless or the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods to your own hurt,

7 then I will let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave of old to your fathers for ever.

8 "Behold, you trust in deceptive words to no avail.

9 Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, burn incense to Ba'al, and go after other gods that you have not known,

10 and then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, `We are delivered!' -- only to go on doing all these abominations?

11 Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, I myself have seen it, says the LORD.

PSALM: Psalms 84: 3 - 6, 8, 11

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3 Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at thy altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God.

4 Blessed are those who dwell in thy house, ever singing thy praise! [Selah]

5 Blessed are the men whose strength is in thee, in whose heart are the highways to Zion.

6 As they go through the valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools.

8 O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! [Selah]

11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield; he bestows favor and honor. No good thing does the LORD withhold from those who walk uprightly.

GOSPEL: Matthew 13: 24 - 30

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24 Another parable he put before them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field;

25 but while men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away.

26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also.

27 And the servants of the householder came and said to him, `Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then has it weeds?'

28 He said to them, `An enemy has done this.' The servants said to him, `Then do you want us to go and gather them?'

29 But he said, `No; lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them.

30 Let both grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.'"

Mass Readings for Friday, July 27, 2012

FIRST READING: Jeremiah 3: 14 - 17

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14 Return, O faithless children, says the LORD; for I am your master; I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion.

15 "`And I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.

16 And when you have multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, says the LORD, they shall no more say, "The ark of the covenant of the LORD." It shall not come to mind, or be remembered, or missed; it shall not be made again.

17 At that time Jerusalem shall be called the throne of the LORD, and all nations shall gather to it, to the presence of the LORD in Jerusalem, and they shall no more stubbornly follow their own evil heart.

PSALM: Jeremiah 31: 10 - 13

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10 "Hear the word of the LORD, O nations, and declare it in the coastlands afar off; say, `He who scattered Israel will gather him, and will keep him as a shepherd keeps his flock.'

11 For the LORD has ransomed Jacob, and has redeemed him from hands too strong for him.

12 They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion, and they shall be radiant over the goodness of the LORD, over the grain, the wine, and the oil, and over the young of the flock and the herd; their life shall be like a watered garden, and they shall languish no more.

13 Then shall the maidens rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old shall be merry. I will turn their mourning into joy, I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow.

GOSPEL: Matthew 13: 18 - 23

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18 "Hear then the parable of the sower.

19 When any one hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in his heart; this is what was sown along the path.

20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy;

21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.

22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is he who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the delight in riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.

23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is he who hears the word and understands it; he indeed bears fruit, and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty."